Heaven's Fall
"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." — Ecclesiastes 1:9
- Once More, With Feeling -
[Kuoh, December 5, 2005]
"Thank God we made it in time."
Words that came with a relieved breath, as a brown-haired man shook his head. His droopy eyes gleamed against the sheen of his busted glasses, his mouth revealing a small smile of relief. He sat on the tattered remains of a couch, steadying his posture and his ragged breaths. He loosened his grip on a blade seemingly made of light and willed it to retract itself.
There he laid his eyes upon the destruction he and his wife caused. Three one-winged fallen angels, all-male, all now painted in their blood. Ivory feathers littered the ruined living room. Furniture not in the right places, the walls splattered with bullet holes and gory innards, and other fixtures are broken beyond repair. It would take a few weeks before the household can be considered hospitable again.
"I stopped the bleeding, she'll live Touji. Miki will live… Miki will live. Thank God!" his wife cried, tears of joy streaming from her eyes as she cradled the unconscious woman on her lap.
He laughed heartily, he relished the moment that he had finally done something good. After losing his subordinate in a dreadful political fiasco. It seemed that his grief would swallow his family whole. But now, they saved lives, the lives of their friends no less. Sure, things would be messier by the time dawn comes. He'll be calling the Church to abut why a group of Grigori scouts wanted to kill their neighbors. But now, Touji Shidou is just content that he had redeemed himself.
As the Shidou couple tended to their neighbors, a boy forced himself to stand up. His wobbling knees didn't deter him from limping towards his parents. As each step he took, his mind had started to develop something. He can't comprehend it yet. However, it didn't matter. He just wanted to feel how his heroes felt. He wanted to smile like them. Laugh like them. Cry like them.
He wanted to be like them.
The Shidou patriarch finally saw the toddler limped towards them, "Issei! Are you alright?!" The older man ran towards the boy and grabbed both shoulders in a tug. "It's okay Issei, your parents are fine. Your parents will live, okay? Let's get you something to eat. You must be hungry hiding in that cupboard, right?" Touji rambled on, a beaming grin on his face.
This would be the first time Issei Hyoudou was saved.
[Vatican City, December 31, 2011]
"I could never forget how happy Pastor Touji was when he told me that my parents were safe. Or how Mrs. Shidou hugged my mother in worry, not giving a damn that she was covered in blood. I still remember the stench of iron and decomposing flesh of those heathens."
A group of children, all hailing from all parts of the world listened religiously to the unfolding tale. Their ears perked up in attention, their breaths slow to be quiet. The storyteller had started to reminisce, his head in the clouds.
"What happened next, Issei?" one asked, impatience laced with her query.
"Oh sorry. Well, after that action-packed night, our saviors took both of my mom and dad to the hospital. Stayed there for a couple of weeks, found at my mom was now a cripple… - I think it's better if my mom would tell her experiences tomorrow. To make it more personal for you guys." Issei drawled, adjusting his seating position on the grass.
"Oh! Aunt Miki is visiting tomorrow? Oh, I can smell the cupcakes now!" a small girl beamed, earning her a few glares for interrupting the story.
"Yes, yes… Now, where was I? Oh yeah, to make this a whole lot shorter. A few exorcists came to us and asked my father and Mr. Shidou questions. They decided that my family was a victim of Mistaken Identity. Those heathens attacked the wrong house and we got caught in the devils' playground. A few days passed some more, they escorted us here in the Vatican. My dad telling me about our new living arrangements in the Vatican. My dad continued his accounting job, now working a desk job here. My mother was paralyzed from the bottom half, but her arms still worked." He wriggled a finger in emphasis.
He huffed, "Good thing too, I don't know how my family would've survived if Dad would be in charge of the kitchen. We would've died of food poisoning instead of those fallen angels."
The kids laughed at his attempt at humor.
"Bottomline, I have a whole life here because of those kinds of exorcists. I am forever grateful for their compassion to help someone in need. Slaying evil while saving lives."
His audience watched him solemnly, their minds now understanding the weight of every word.
"Now what God wants for all of you, is to be like those exorcists. You are all here to become exorcists that fight for the Lord. But remember, you may have the most powerful weapons or the strongest body. You must train also your hearts, beat it in your bratty heads that God is watching you. God wants all of you to be like the Shidou family, be heroes in short. You got all of that?"
"YES!" they responded.
"I am going to be a superhero!" One shouted. The kids huddled around and began to do hero poses that they see on television.
Issei shook his head and chuckled, "Ah what to be a kid again, to believe every pep-talk like it's the Bible." he muttered to himself.
The children then left his care as a nun called for them, telling that break time was over. The kids bubbly said their goodbyes to Issei, going back inside the orphanage building.
Issei Hyoudou was a Japanese teenager living in Vatican City, not something that you hear every day. His home is a medium-sized apartment in one of the complexes owned by the Catholic Church. It's near the edge of the small country's borders, giving his family a breathtaking view of Rome. The country of Italy at driving distance, he spent a lot of time eating at one of the many bistros there.
He was of average height, has brown messy hair, and a perpetual frown when not talking to children. His silver-rimmed glasses are just for show, his eyesight perfectly fine and without a flaw. To be frank, he first wore glasses just because a girl told him he'll look better on it. And Issei Hyoudou is nothing but a man who takes compliments too seriously, especially if it's from a cute girl.
"Thanks again for entertaining the children again, Ise." a sweet, and he daresay angelic voice, garnered his attention.
"Griselda! I thought you won't be back for another week!" his response barely hiding to his excitement.
Now, what hot-blooded male wouldn't be excited when a gorgeous girl called you? Long blonde hair, a picture-perfect face free from any sort of blemishes. Her modest nun attire could only pathetically contain the curvaceous body of the woman. Griselda Quarta was nothing short of a maiden bombshell.
"Well, we finished our assignment earlier and just got back here this morning. I then decided to visit my favorite little chef!" the exorcist then raised her arms, beckoning him for a hug.
Oh, Issei hugged alright, with all his might and with all his heart, he embraced the older woman.
"I missed you guys - I mean… I missed you Griselda!" he corrected himself, his nose already bleeding from the "contact".
"And you're still a perverted brat."
"Don't care, too soft." Issei's face shamelessly nesting on her bountiful bosom.
"Oh get off now, I still have to unpack and freshen up."
Issei relinquished the hold, albeit with sadness. "Hey is Dulio and Nero back as well? I wanted them to taste-test something for me."
Griselda hummed before nodding, "Nero's patrolling nearby with his girlfriend. While Dulio's at his room, still sleeping like a log. I could wake him up."
Issei then waved his hands in protest, "Nah let him sleep, but you two can go the apartment tonight. Mom and I've been preparing for a New Year's Eve Feast later. I'm sure you guys missed our cooking now?" he invited.
The exorcist visibly brightened on the offer, "Oh now I'm regretting that I missed Christmas with the Hyoudou family. You can't see it, but my mouth is beginning to salivate."
"So can my parents count on you three to join us tonight?"
"Tell Aunt Miki to save us a dozen plates will yah?" Griselda slobbered, rubbing her hands in an uncouth manner. Issei fought the urge to tease his elder about her demeanor.
"You bet we are! Heck, Dulio might be there before evening after I tell him that we're cooking a big, fat turkey."
"Great, we'll see you there!" she waved goodbye, going in the other direction.
Issei's day became a bit brighter now that he saw the girl of his dreams, Griselda Quarta, also known as the Killer Queen. One of the first exorcists that were blessed with the gift of becoming a true Angel, chosen by the most esteemed Archangels. Only a select few could ever see the adorable and gluttonous side of an otherwise powerful agent of God's people.
She had killed more strays, blasphemers, and other heathens in the past two years than the entire population of the Vatican. A feat matched only by other Veterans of the faith. And here she was, fondly calling an average dude a pervert.
He was living the dream, peaceful days living in such relative luxury many people would kill for. He was grateful for the life he has right now, a stable part-time job as a Catechist, his parents alive and well, friends that he could always count on. Sure it felt a little too… traditional for him, but hey, he's living a comfortable life.
"Damn, am I lucky or what?" he proudly asked. A phrase he tells himself at least once a day for the past seven years. Issei looked at his wristwatch, seeing that he has enough time to get home before cooking. He decided to take the reliable scenic route, a twenty-minute power-walk wouldn't hurt. He tucked his hands inside his pockets and made his journey back home. Taking all the beautiful buildings, trees, and statues he never gets tired of.
After basking under the sunset glow, he stopped his walk when he saw someone that caught his attention. He saw an angel.
No literally, the girl was the most beautiful woman he ever laid his eyes upon. Luscious golden locks, a perfect face so innocent yet so alluring. Bright, green eyes that can ensnare any mortal with a weak will.
A body that is the definition of the forbidden fruit, making his heart flutter uncontrollably. Wearing a form-fitting, white blouse, a green bow adorning her neck. A modest, blue pleated skirt reaching up to her heels, Issei could only curse at fate for not letting him see her otherwise creamy thighs.
Although it was enough, he would thank God later for this wonderful sight, he would commit this to memory.
"Hello, seeing that you're staring at me quite intensely, may I help you?" she asked, knocking Issei at his self-imposed stupor.
His face became beet red, "Oh! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to ogle- I mean… oh geez." he stuttered.
The blonde beauty shook her head in amusement. "Don't worry, I get that a lot. Just, hands off the merchandise and be on your way."
"No! I mean I still got time and-"
She chuckled softly, her eyes turning stern. "I'm afraid I hadn't been clear with you. That wasn't a request." her sweet voice now having an oppressive aura. As if threatening to suffocate him.
Issei pulled his collar tightly, air not circulating in his system. Scratch that, she was suffocating him!
He gulped in terror. "Yes, mam! Sorry for bothering you!" he squeaked. His legs on auto-pilot, hightailing away from the area. Quaking in fear from the mysterious woman.
"Sheesh, what's got her panties in a twist? She may be hot, but her attitude's not. You're lucky that you're boobs are bi-"
"Still can hear you."
"Oh, dear Lord!"
Satisfied with her actions, the femme fatale continued her whistling. Now returning her gaze towards the open garden, legs crossed. "What a virgin," she smirked.
Whistling a chaste tune, she looked above to the skies, the orange hue and the weaker luminosity of the atmosphere indicates that evening is coming soon. "That boy was lucky that I saw him first, I wouldn't want to have any innocent buffoon gnawing at my conscience."
She stood calmly, a carefree expression on her face. She raised a hand dramatically, three fingers pointing over her head.
Two exorcists, a couple more likely, then approached her, both giving strange looks at her. One of adoration and one of seething jealousy. The woman would've teased the two if there wasn't for the lack of time.
"Hello mam, I am Brother Nero Raimondi. Not that you're obstructing anyone here, but me and my partner here would be better off knowing your reasons for being here. This place is Vatican Territory. And we would like to have some identification please."
She gave them an admonishing gaze.
"One."
"Excuse me?" the male exorcist scratched his head in confusion. His partner was of different temperament, however.
"Listen here, Missy? We don't appreciate any outsiders here frolicking about. If you're a guest of a resident here. Can you please stop acting smug and please give us some identification."
"Two."
"Okay mam, now that's just being rude. We promise we only want some identification. If you're a guest, then sure you'll have an I.D pass-"
She stood up abruptly, interrupting him. She noticed the pair's bodies twitched, ready to summon their weapons in the event she would lash out. Maybe she got carried away in flaring her power earlier. Not that it mattered anyway…
"Three."
Before the two of God's soldiers could react. An explosion occurred behind them, the ground shook violently, the trees rattled from the blast. Smaller explosions bombarded the surroundings, flooding the airwaves of deafening detonations. The residential complexes were thrown into disarray, shrieks could be heard and cries for reinforcements were being responded.
The duo could only look in shock as the normally serene park was thrown into a fiery wasteland.
"Mr. Nero was it?" taking their attention once again, her smirk turning into a full-blown grin. She was met with shaken youngsters, now holding their holy swords, ready to take her in.
"I think it's for the best that you'll forget about our little encounter and go save some lives, right?"
At the snap of her fingers, an emerald rune then blinded the two paladins in a brilliant ray of green light.
"I am so sorry Griselda! My nose would only bleed for you from this moment forward-" Issei mused, a handkerchief wiping the perverse nosebleed dripping from his nose. He fell flat on the pavement when he heard a loud explosion and felt its shockwave.
"What the Hell!"
Alert! Alert! Threat Detected! Alert! Alert!
Issei's eyes bulged in fear as sirens blasted his eardrums with the unwanted news. Without thinking, he sprinted back to the park as fast as he could, into the blazing inferno. A poor judgment indeed, a result of poor instincts.
It only took a few minutes before the Japanese teen saw the destruction the blast created, trees burning, people running for their lives, and two exorcists fighting those responsible for this attack. There he noticed a gaping hole at the center of what's left of the park. Seeing bent metal walls under it, "A bunker? There's a basement under the park?", he asked himself.
"Is that Nero?" he muttered as he was mesmerized on the fluidity of the exorcists' movements. Dodging every blow from the assailants while blasting hexes, light spears, and fists.
His eyes twinkled in amazement on the climactic showdown unfolding above him.
The moment didn't last, unfortunately, as one of the thieves decided it would be fun to take some hostages. Blitzing towards him with malicious intent, Issei ran again for his life. "Shit!" he swore again, his mother would make him eat soap if she found out.
He yelped as he barely dodged a lazy orb of fire thrown at him. Adjusting his glasses before continuing his adrenaline-fueled sprint, this time in another direction.
"You're quick on your feet. I'll give you that runt! But this time I won't miss!" the threat only made him more terrified. He felt a loud crack of pavement, Issei dared turned his head back. He smiled when he saw Nero tackling his would-be killer and impaling him with a brutal light spear. The gore of the deed made him struggle at the urge of vomiting.
Again, he was saved by an exorcist once more. This time, by one of his friends. As if it became a pattern, the momentary relief soon ended when he felt his arm tugged hardly by his agitated hero.
That would be the second time that Issei's life was saved.
"Issei! What the fuck are you doing here? Why were you standing there like a prick earlier!? Get out of here while you still can!"
His response of wanting to help soon fell on deaf ears when they both felt a suffocating aura. They both looked up in fear as a white-haired man hovered over them. A disgusted snarl on his handsome features, he was wearing a posh suit and white gloves. He was holding a container bearing the ink seal of the Matthew Organization.
"Shitty devil stole one of the Church's artifacts. I took down three of those heathens, there's only one left." Hyoudou heard Nero's partner spat her sentiments. But Issei focused on the word devil.
"Devils!?" he croaked, today was turning for the worst.
Nero glared at him, "For the love of God, get out of her. We'll distract until reinforcements-"
"Worms! All of you!" the devil materialized a red gauntlet, its orb emitting an orb of green energy, shooting it at the female exorcist. Knocking her out of commission as rubble piled on her.
Nero immediately went berserk, unleashing his power in rage. Hammering a glowing fist against the offending demonic thief in a forceful blow. Issei knew of his ability, Sacred Fist, a powerful technique taught to only a few exorcists who can withstand its physical toil.
The devil retaliated with a kick to Nero's gut, throwing him off balance and sending him down to the burning building. "Insect!"
Issei popped a vein at the sight of a friend in danger. Once again, thinking like a suicidal fool, he shouted at the foe in the hopes of distracting him. He couldn't do anything in killing the bastard, but he can try to stall until the other exorcists would come.
It's the least he could do. It might not be the smartest decision, far from it, but it's the only thing he could think of.
"Hey Devil, if you wanna fight. Fight me!" flailing his arms wildly to get attention.
It's the least he could do.
"Don't tell me you're such a wuss to come down there and- bleugh!"
A goblet of blood came gushing down his mouth, he looked down in horror as a large arm cleanly impaled him in the stomach. Puddles of his life liquid stained the entirety of his lower half. The demon's other arm casually holding the stolen artifact.
He raised his gaze towards his killer and only saw a disgusted visage. "Normally, I wouldn't let myself be dirtied by the likes of you; but I'll make an exception." Removing his arm in one disgusting slurp, the sound of intestines coming out from Issei's person.
Hyoudou felt numb, he limped for a few steps before collapsing near the sinkhole.
"You should be honored knowing that a servant of the real Lucifer had extinguished your pathetic life. Now die in that ditch, you annoying worm." Adding insult to injury, he kicked the dying boy further into the hole, Issei's body falling helplessly to his makeshift grave."
"Bastard! You killed him!" Raimondi's sucker-punched the High Devil, making both of them fall back to the basement below. Chunks of cement began to rain down, but the battle of attrition continued. Nero savagely attacking the fanatic devil with the force of ten machine guns. The metal walls shook from each connected strike.
"Ah dear, shouldn't Issei be back by now?" asked the Patriarch of the Hyoudou household. He fought the urge to chew his nails when he's worried, glancing at the wall clock nervously.
Miki Hyoudou however, was the opposite of her husband. She calmly sat in her wheelchair while waiting for the turkey to finish roasting in the oven. "Stop your worrying, dear. I asked Issei to buy some candy bars in the gift shop. You know how Griselda loves those."
"Still, you can't fault me for worrying."
"Trust me, dear. It's going to be fine, Issei might be already climbing the stairs now."
Issei could only watch with shaky breaths, his face already pales from the lack of blood. Rendered immobile in a basement of sorts. "Am I… going to die?" Even if he were to survive, Issei knew he would only die in the hospital. I mean, no man could survive to have their entire stomach ripped out of them.
At least there's no pain, he would die relatively peaceful… and I gave Nero time. Other exorcists would be here at any moment. He thought in consolation, he couldn't even move his arms to pray.
He felt cold, the metal floors didn't help either.
"I'm sorry..."
He should have just run, he wouldn't be saving anyone anyway. Everyone was already at a safe distance, Nero and his partner had already taken care of things before he came. His parents wouldn't be grieving that their only child died for nothing. He could've continued his life without worry.
"At least… I got to… hugged… Griselda."
Issei closed his eyes, accepting his easily avoidable death with a chuckle.
[Do you want to live?]
He opened his eyes as if someone was forcing him from leaving the mortal coil.
"Who said…" Issei's words were starting to get foggy, his mind already hazy. His surroundings were nothing but a blur but he could hear the voice.
[Do you want to live?] the voice asked again, [I can make you better.]
He forcibly turned his head to the side he hears the voice from, he saw the stolen container, opened slit in the middle. A hand could get its contents conveniently.
[Come Closer.]
Issei rolled sideways towards the container, each action more difficult than the last. His senses may have numbed but he could feel shads of debris entering his wounds. An unpleasant experience despite not feeling any pain.
"Front. Back. Front… Back." he softly gasped.
[Closer.] the voice beckoned, now louder than before.
With one final roll, he finally landed on flatly on his broken back. His willpower went with a tug, his face now beside the metal container. He reached inside until he found something, he grabbed it.
It was a nail, a long, rusty nail. He must be going senile for hearing a voice, were dying people supposed to have hallucinations before kicking the bucket?
[Let me in.] the voice called him… no commanded him. His weak arm barely holding the nail securely in his grasp.
"What?"
[Let me in.]
"What…"
Now Issei was fading, he wasted too much of his energy in getting the god-forsaken nail. Was he that desperate to live? To hallucinate about a voice that can save his sorry ass again.
[LET ME IN!]
As if his arm had a mind on its own, he stabbed himself in the heart with the nail. He drew a final gasp before closing his eyes again. His limb fell with a thud and his body stopped completely.
And Issei Hyoudou for the third time in his short life was saved again.
Author's Note:
Heaven's Fall is officially the second reboot of "God's Assassin". I've regained my enthusiasm for writing again, but at my leisure. I've learned to not make promises except the ones I know I can keep. So to all those old readers of "God's Assassin" and "Angel's Dust"; I apologize for this terrible delay. The next chapters would be more longer don't worry. Hopefully, I'm not too rusty.
I had already decided on the final pairing of this story and its conclusion. I outlined all events that will transpire during the next few years. I intend to finish my first amateur fan novel until the end. I'll also be keeping future author's notes short and less wordy.
As for my other discontinued stories, I won't be deleting them as I prefer being reminded of my past mistakes. Blunders that include - overreliance of cliffhangers, begging for reviews, misuse of certain quotes and abuse of abridged references, creating polls for harem members, and ungrammatical errors. I'm aiming to lessen my attention-hogging tendencies.
Issei will not be an Angel.
The ending music would be a wonderful English cover of "Fate/Zero: To the Beginning" by Nickee Gee.
There will be one final chance
For a miracle to bring the dawn
In this twisted future that
You softly sang of once to me
For the sake of making such a world,
Where tears will never cloud your sight,
Though I scream
My prayers are lost to emptiness
Beneath a sky that's
Dyed in crimson, dark as blood,
The shadows cast no hope for us,
Mercy is gone in my quest to regain the light
Caught in her glow divine, the moon in the sky
Shines a path that takes us to begin again,
Beyond heaven
And into your weary eyes that hold all our fears
I'll keep reaching for you,
'Till the end of time